《智慧书·第二辑·五一至一百》第14则
Avoid Worry. Such prudence brings its own reward. It escapes much, and is thus the midwife of comfort and so of happiness. Neither give nor take bad news unless it can help. Some men's ears are stuffed with the sweets of flattery; others with the bitters of scandal, while some cannot live without a daily annoyance no more than Mithridates could without poison. It is no rule of life to prepare for yourself lifelong trouble in order to give a temporary enjoyment to another, however near and dear. You never ought to spoil your own chances to please another who advises and keeps out of the affair, and in all cases where to oblige another involves disobliging yourself, 'tis a standing rule that it is better he should suffer now than you afterwards and in vain.
注释摘要
这一则的标题"避免烦恼"（Avoid Worry）与正文第一句合在一起，构成了葛拉西安典型的判断句式：避免烦恼本身就是一种审慎，而这种审慎自带奖赏。他不是在劝人不动心，而是在论证为什么"不被搅扰"是一件值得投资的事。 西班牙原文中，审慎（prudencia）在这里的用法很具体，不是泛泛的智慧，而是指一种能预判后果、避开无谓损耗的务实判断力。葛拉西安说这种审…